Narrative:

While flying on flight from atl to fll, sept 1990, we were instructed by miami center (128.22) to turn to a heading of 145 degree and intercept the fort lauderdale 120 degree right and cross kubic intersection at 8000'. This as the third clearance we had to fly a heading to intercept an intersection in less than 8 mins. The previous intersection being tepee, gordi, and fortl. Because we were approximately 85 DME and had to cross 44 DME from fll VOR an extremely high rate of descent had to be used to reach the assigned altitude. During the descent we were handed off to miami control (127.65). Our initial contact with miami control was interrupted due to interference from our other radio due to momentary x-bleed of sound. Miami advised us to turn right to 180 degree and maintain 27000'. We were at approximately 27000' and descending at a high rate when we responded and leveled at 27000' and turned to 180 degree. Miami then queried as to our previous clearance. We responded we were to fly 145 degree to intercept the fort lauderdale 120 degree and cross kubic at 8000'. After a brief pause he stated we were to intercept the 120 degree right from ft myers VOR. Recommendations: due to the limited distances and time available in the south fl area, continual turns to intercept different intxns in short time periods should be kept to a minimum. Allowing ample time to descend so as to eliminate high rate dscnts would also be appreciated. The name of 'fortl' intersection sounds to much like fort lauderdale, and can be misinterpreted as 'cleared to fort lauderdale', instead of 'fortl'. In this case, an incorrect frequency on a new chart showed fll frequency to be 114.4 instead of 111.4. The continuous vectoring to the different intxns requires the pilot to be distraction while assuring the proper location of each intersection. Due to the limited time and distances these should be kept to a minimum. Supplemental information from acn 157812. I noticed he had the proper intercept set on the navigation radios. I told him I would be off frequency to talk to the company. While I was off frequency, the copilot changed radio frequency to mia center frequency 127.65, and also he changed his VOR frequency to fll. He may have misunderstood to intercept the fortl arrival for ft lauderdale.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HEADING DEVIATION ON A STAR INTO FLL.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING ON FLT FROM ATL TO FLL, SEPT 1990, WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY MIAMI CTR (128.22) TO TURN TO A HDG OF 145 DEG AND INTERCEPT THE FORT LAUDERDALE 120 DEG R AND CROSS KUBIC INTXN AT 8000'. THIS AS THE THIRD CLRNC WE HAD TO FLY A HDG TO INTERCEPT AN INTXN IN LESS THAN 8 MINS. THE PREVIOUS INTXN BEING TEPEE, GORDI, AND FORTL. BECAUSE WE WERE APPROX 85 DME AND HAD TO CROSS 44 DME FROM FLL VOR AN EXTREMELY HIGH RATE OF DSNT HAD TO BE USED TO REACH THE ASSIGNED ALT. DURING THE DSNT WE WERE HANDED OFF TO MIAMI CTL (127.65). OUR INITIAL CONTACT WITH MIAMI CTL WAS INTERRUPTED DUE TO INTERFERENCE FROM OUR OTHER RADIO DUE TO MOMENTARY X-BLEED OF SOUND. MIAMI ADVISED US TO TURN R TO 180 DEG AND MAINTAIN 27000'. WE WERE AT APPROX 27000' AND DSNDING AT A HIGH RATE WHEN WE RESPONDED AND LEVELED AT 27000' AND TURNED TO 180 DEG. MIAMI THEN QUERIED AS TO OUR PREVIOUS CLRNC. WE RESPONDED WE WERE TO FLY 145 DEG TO INTERCEPT THE FORT LAUDERDALE 120 DEG AND CROSS KUBIC AT 8000'. AFTER A BRIEF PAUSE HE STATED WE WERE TO INTERCEPT THE 120 DEG R FROM FT MYERS VOR. RECOMMENDATIONS: DUE TO THE LIMITED DISTANCES AND TIME AVAILABLE IN THE S FL AREA, CONTINUAL TURNS TO INTERCEPT DIFFERENT INTXNS IN SHORT TIME PERIODS SHOULD BE KEPT TO A MINIMUM. ALLOWING AMPLE TIME TO DSND SO AS TO ELIMINATE HIGH RATE DSCNTS WOULD ALSO BE APPRECIATED. THE NAME OF 'FORTL' INTXN SOUNDS TO MUCH LIKE FORT LAUDERDALE, AND CAN BE MISINTERPRETED AS 'CLRED TO FORT LAUDERDALE', INSTEAD OF 'FORTL'. IN THIS CASE, AN INCORRECT FREQ ON A NEW CHART SHOWED FLL FREQ TO BE 114.4 INSTEAD OF 111.4. THE CONTINUOUS VECTORING TO THE DIFFERENT INTXNS REQUIRES THE PLT TO BE DISTR WHILE ASSURING THE PROPER LOCATION OF EACH INTXN. DUE TO THE LIMITED TIME AND DISTANCES THESE SHOULD BE KEPT TO A MINIMUM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 157812. I NOTICED HE HAD THE PROPER INTERCEPT SET ON THE NAV RADIOS. I TOLD HIM I WOULD BE OFF FREQ TO TALK TO THE COMPANY. WHILE I WAS OFF FREQ, THE COPLT CHANGED RADIO FREQ TO MIA CTR FREQ 127.65, AND ALSO HE CHANGED HIS VOR FREQ TO FLL. HE MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD TO INTERCEPT THE FORTL ARR FOR FT LAUDERDALE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.